What Is a Deep Link?
A link that takes users straight to the relevant content instead of the app's home screen.
Book a free callA deep link is a link that sends users directly to a specific page or piece of content in a mobile app instead of its launch screen. When a user taps a product they saw in an ad, it opens that product's detail page rather than the home screen. Because it removes friction along the way, it has a noticeable impact on conversion rate.
Types of deep links
| Type | What it does | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deep link | Opens the relevant content if the app is installed | Doesn't work if the app isn't installed |
| Deferred deep link | If the app isn't installed, sends the user to the store first, then opens the target content after install | Requires an MMP or custom infrastructure |
| Universal Links (iOS) | Opens the app via domain verification | Requires a verification file on your domain |
| App Links (Android) | The Android equivalent of Universal Links | Also requires verification |
| Contextual deep link | Carries data such as an invite code or campaign in the link | The data schema needs to be planned |
From a marketing standpoint, the most valuable is deferred deep linking. In most scenarios the user hasn't installed the app yet, and taking them to the right place on first open after install is the only way to deliver on the campaign's promise.
How does deferred deep linking work?
- The user taps an ad or a shared link, and the target content information is stored.
- Since the app isn't installed, the user is sent to the store.
- The user downloads the app and opens it for the first time.
- The SDK retrieves the stored context and takes the user straight to the target content.
Without this flow, users have to search for the product they were interested in, and a large share of them won't. That's why deferred deep linking noticeably increases the post-install first-action rate.
Where is it used?
- Paid campaigns: Sending users straight to the product or promo page featured in the ad.
- Retargeting: One-tap return to an item left in the cart.
- Push notifications: Opening directly to the content the notification mentions.
- Email and SMS: Moving from campaign messages to an in-app destination.
- Referral programs: Automatically carrying over and applying the invite code.
- Web-to-app: Moving mobile web visitors to the same page in the app.
What to watch for during setup
- Define fallback behavior. When a link fails, users should land on a meaningful page, not a blank screen.
- Set up verification files. apple-app-site-association for iOS and assetlinks.json for Android must be configured correctly; otherwise the link opens in the browser.
- Test every entry point. Different browsers, in-app browsers and social media apps handle links differently.
- Design it together with attribution. If deep link parameters carry campaign data, both routing and measurement are handled in a single flow.
- Think about session state. Can a logged-out user reach the target content, or do they get stuck on the login screen?
Frequently asked questions
Do deep links really increase conversion?
Yes, because they remove the effort users would otherwise spend getting to the content they want. The impact is especially clear in retargeting and push notification scenarios. A large share of users who land on the home screen never complete the intended action.
Do you need an MMP for deep linking?
Not for standard deep links; if the app is installed, you can handle them with your own infrastructure. Deferred deep linking, however — routing to the right content after install — requires carrying context through the install, and in practice that's done with an MMP or a dedicated linking platform.
What's the difference between Universal Links and custom URL schemes?
Custom URL schemes (myapp://) are the older approach; they throw an error if the app isn't installed, and browsers are increasingly restrictive with them. Universal Links and App Links are regular HTTPS links: they open the app if it's installed and the web page if it isn't. This is the approach to use today.
Let's remove friction from the user journey
We set up your deep linking infrastructure alongside your attribution so your campaigns convert better.
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